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Home » Recipes » Salads

Beef Waterfall | Neua Nam Tok | เนื้อย่างน้ำตก

Written by: Rachel. Published: Sep 1, 2023 · Modified: Jun 24, 2024· This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

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Neua Nam Tok is a grilled steak salad that originated in Northeastern Thailand. The grilled steak is sliced and tossed with fresh herbs, a vibrant spicy and sour dressing, and toasted rice powder. It is supremely flavorful and refreshing, as well as satisfying.

Neua Nam Tok

Neua Nam Tok, also known as Beef Waterfall, was one of the first Thai salads I was introduced to. I remember being fairly perplexed, as I was imaging more of a western style salad with lots of greens. Instead I was presented with a plate of sliced grilled steak with a smattering of herbs. There was no lettuce to be seen, and certainly no croutons. However, after the first bite, I was completely hooked. Although this Thai salad is mostly meat, its flavors are bold and refreshing.

What is Nam Tok?

Nam Tok is a Thai salad composed of grilled meat, fresh herbs, and toasted rice powder. It is tossed with a spicy and sour dressing made from dried chili flakes, lime juice, and fish sauce. The most common choice of meat is beef (Neua in Thai), although pork (Moo in Thai) can also used (Moo Nam Tok). Sawtooth coriander, cilantro, mint, lemongrass, and shallots are the most common herbs used in this salad.

Given its Northeastern Thai origin, Nam Tok shares many similarities with Larb. Both salads are tossed with a fish sauce / lime juice / dried chili flake dressing. They both feature cilantro, mint, and shallots as well as toasted rice powder. However, while Larb is made with minced meat, Nam Tok is always made with a single piece of grilled meat.

How did Nam Tok get its name?

Steak Grilling for Nam Tok

Nam means water and Tok means to fall in Thai. Nam Tok therefore means falling water or waterfall in Thai. According to David Thompson, this salad was named Beef Waterfall for the drippings of juice that fall from the meat as it's grilled.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Nam Tok
  • Steak: Any cut of grilling steak will work. Flank steak, sirloin, and tri-tip are all good choices. The key is to use a cut of steak that's not too thick (less than 1 inch) so that your salad pieces aren't too big. You can marinate the steak prior to grilling if you like, but it's not necessary. The steak is normally cooked to medium or medium rare.
  • Toasted Rice Powder: Toasted rice powder is made by dry frying uncooked sticky rice until it's golden brown, then grinding it into a powder. It adds a great toasted flavor and delightful crunch to the dish.
  • Lime Juice: Lime juice adds the necessary tartness to this salad. Freshly-squeezed lime juice is best.
  • Fish Sauce: Fish sauce adds the salty component to the dressing.
  • Dried Chili Flakes: You can use pre-made dried chili flakes, or you can toast and grind dried chilis yourself. This recipe calls for ½ teaspoon, which will result in a medium level of spice. Add as much or as little as you prefer.
  • Shallots: Small red Asian shallots are great if you can find them. If not, slice regular shallots in halves or thirds before slicing them thinly.
  • Cilantro: You can use just the leaves of the cilantro plant, or coarsely chop the leaves and upper stems.
  • Mint: If your mint leaves are small, they can be added whole. If they're on the bigger side, coarsely chop them before adding to the salad.
  • Sawtooth coriander (optional): Also known as culantro, this herb has a flavor that's similar to cilantro, but stronger. In Thai, it's amusingly known as pak chee farang (foreigner's cilantro). Chop it finely so that there are no sharp edges. If you can't find sawtooth coriander, it's fine to leave it out.
  • Lemongrass (optional): Some recipes for Nam Tok include lemongrass, and others do not. If you'd like to use it, slice the lemongrass very finely.

Instructions

Nam Tok Ingredients

Make Toasted Rice Powder: Place enough uncooked sticky rice in a pan so that it covers the bottom in a single layer. Turn the heat on to low or medium low. Then allow the rice to dry fry until it is evenly golden brown, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Once it is golden brown, remove from pan and let cool. Then pulse in a spice grinder or coffee grinder until the texture resembles coarse sand.

Grilled Steak for Nam Tok

Grill the Steak: Prepare your steak by washing it and patting it dry. If it's very thick (more than an inch), you can butterfly to achieve a thinner cut. Grill the beef over medium high heat until it's cooked how you like it. Nam Tok is generally eaten medium rare. Let the meat rest for a few minutes and then slice against the grain into thin slices.

Herbs for Nam Tok

Prepare the Herbs: While the steak is grilling, prepare the fresh herbs. Wash and dry the cilantros and mint. If your mint leaves are small, there's no need to chop them. If they're on the larger side, coarsely chop them. Chop the cilantro leaves coarsely and the sawtooth coriander leaves finely. Slice the shallot finely.

Assemble Nam Tok

Assemble the Salad: Combine the sliced beef with the prepared herbs. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, dried chili flakes, and toasted rice powder and toss everything together. Do a taste test and adjust the seasonings to your preference. The salad should be vibrantly spicy, sour, and salty.

Serving Suggestions

Neua Nam Tok

Neua Nam Tok is most often served with a wedge of cabbage, several long beans, and additional mint on the plate next to it. You're meant to take bites of these cool, refreshing vegetables in between bites of the spicy salad. As it's of Northeastern Thai origin, a basket of warm sticky rice is also often served with Neua Nam Tok.

Storage

Neua Nam Tok is best when eaten immediately after it's made. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, but the herbs tend to wilt and turn brown quickly once dressed.

Fortunately, all of the components of the salad can be prepared ahead of time. That way, you can put it together quickly when you're ready to serve it. The toasted rice powder and ground chili flakes can be made and stored in the pantry for several months. The herbs can be washed and stored in the fridge. Even the dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge as well.

Recipe

Neua Nam Tok

Beef Waterfall | Neua Nam Tok | เนื้อย่างน้ำตก

This Grilled Steak Salad of Northeastern Thai origin is supremely flavorful and refreshing, while also being very satisfying.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Thai
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Rachel

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces beef flank steak, sirloin, tri-tip all work well
  • 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • ¼ cup shallots sliced thinly
  • ¼ cup sawtooth coriander finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup mint coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons toasted rice powder
  • ½ teaspoon roasted chili flakes

Instructions

  • Make Toasted Rice Powder: Start by making toasted rice powder. Place enough uncooked sticky rice in a pan so that it covers the bottom in a single layer. Turn the heat on to low or medium low. Allow the rice to dry fry until it is evenly golden brown, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Once it is golden brown, remove from pan and let cool. Then pulse in a spice grinder or coffee grinder until the texture resembles coarse sand.
  • Grill the Steak: Prepare your steak by washing it and patting it dry. If it's very thick (more than an inch), you can butterfly it to achieve a thinner cut. You can marinate it if you like, or just sprinkle salt and pepper before grilling. Grill the steak over medium high heat until it's medium rare. Let the meat rest for a few minutes and then slice against the grain into thin slices.
  • Prepare the Herbs: While the steak is grilling, prepare the fresh herbs. Wash and dry the cilantros and mint. If your mint leaves are small, there's no need to chop them. If they're on the larger side, coarsely chop them. Chop the cilantro leaves coarsely and the sawtooth coriander leaves finely. Slice the shallot finely.
  • Assemble the Salad: Combine the sliced steak with the prepared herbs. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, dried chili flakes, and toasted rice powder and toss everything together. Do a taste test and adjust the seasonings to your preference. The salad should be vibrantly spicy, sour, and salty. Serve with a wedge of cabbage, several long beans, and a basket of warm sticky rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Rachel

    April 16, 2011 at 10:31 pm

    Hi Justine - I'm so glad it worked out for you! It's definitely one of my favorites... quick, easy, and delicious!

    Reply
  2. Justine

    April 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    I just tried this recipe last night, with a few tiny alterations for taste and because I didn't have any mint or basil, and holy crapola it tasted GREAT! It was supposed to be my dinner but my parents kept getting it from me. I used ribeye steak and only needed to marinate it for an hour or two because it is porous. The toasted rice really made the dish. Will be making it again tonight 🙂

    Reply
  3. blogbytina!

    April 01, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    I would eat a salad like this everyday!

    Reply
  4. Rachel

    March 21, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    Hi Mae! Toasted rice is really easy to make. You take uncooked white jasmine rice and toast it in a pan over medium heat until it turns light brown. Then crush it with a mortar and pestle or blender until you get a coarse powder (you want for it to retain some texture, but not crack your teeth when you eat it!). I'm working on a "Thai pantry" section that will have more information like this as well as recommended brands of sauces, etc, so stay tuned!

    Reply
  5. Mae

    March 21, 2011 at 10:29 am

    Looks yummy! Would love to try it out sometime!
    What is toasted rice?

    Reply
  6. Rachel

    March 20, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    Thanks so much for the kind comments, Paula! I used different types of steak each time I made it and they all turned out really well. I think I've used loin tri-tip, round, and skirt steaks so far. A lot of beef, I know 🙂

    Reply
  7. paula

    March 20, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    hi Rachel, thanks for the recipe! What kind of steak did you use here? Ps good luck to you, I think you will be very successful with your Thai cooking blog:)

    Reply

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